Kenneth Walker III explains what his goals are for NFL rookie season

Former Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III has some lofty NFL goals ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Walker, a native of Arlington, TN, was a former three-star recruit, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, which made him just the No. 156 overall running back in the 2019 recruiting class. He first committed to Wake Forest, where in two seasons he managed to tally a total of just 217 carries for 1,158 yards — amassing 579 rushing yards each year — and racked up 17 touchdowns between his freshman and sophomore seasons. After he transferred to Michigan State, though, Walker’s career took a complete turn.

He never cracked 120 carries at Wake Forest, but at Michigan State he notched 263 in his first and only year with the program. Better yet, after never going for more than 600 rushing yards in a season, he went for 1,636 in 2021 with the Spartans, while scoring 18 rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. Walker seemed to singlehandedly give Michigan State a much-needed win over its in-state rivals at Michigan, when on Oct. 30 he rushed 23 times for 197 yards and a heaping five touchdowns, helping the Spartans remain undefeated while the Wolverines went home with their first loss of the season. Now, Walker has even loftier goals for the NFL: winning Rookie of the Year.

Before this past season @MSU_Football RB Kenneth Walker told me he wrote down in his phone some goals. Two of which were be an All-American and win Doak Walker.

After achieving those, I asked if he’s written any new goals heading into the pros: “Win rookie of the year” pic.twitter.com/JcDoFXpgqn

— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) March 3, 2022

Kenneth Walker III reveals what his goal is in 40-yard dash at NFL Combine

Former Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III went from a mere blip on a scouting report to a Walter Camp Award winner and a consensus All-American in just one year, when he transferred from Wake Forest to the Spartans and became an integral piece of head coach Mel Tucker’s offense.

Now, Walker is preparing for the 2022 NFL Draft — and the first step in the running back’s path to the NFL? The NFL Draft Combine, where he expects to make a name for himself. Tucker, asked what his expectations are for the upcoming 40-yard dash, set a very high bar for himself, as he said he expects to run in the “4.4s” for the 40-yard dash.

For reference, only six running backs ran “in the 4.4s” in last year’s NFL Combine 40-yard dash: Elijah Mitchell (4.38 seconds), Deon Jackson (4.41 seconds), Javian Hawkins (4.46 seconds), Khalil Herbert (4.46 seconds), Chubba Hubbard (4.48 seconds) and Jake Funk (4.49 seconds). Should Walker stick to his word and run a 40-yard dash in that range, it would put him in elite company — and would most certainly already help a high draft stock, as Walker is already ranks as the No. 1 running back in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Walker Camp National Player of the Year and the Doak Walker Award winner is now preparing to hear his name called in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. An expected first-year starter in the NFL, Walker projects somewhere between the late first round and third round on various NFL mock drafts.